


Caramel Macchiato

by Chirimasa



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: EXO - Freeform, Fluff, KaiSoo - Freeform, M/M, Romance, Smut, Starbucks, Yaoi, barista, starbucksau
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-12-11
Packaged: 2019-02-02 13:11:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12727212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chirimasa/pseuds/Chirimasa
Summary: Young waiter Jongin grows interested in the blank-faced barista who transfers to the Starbucks next to his work.





	1. Chapter 1

Jongin was just the average college student. After barely passing high school he half-assed his way into his first year of college. He thought he was doing fine in his life at the moment. No reasons to rush, nothing really going wrong other than an exam or two to stress about. It was easy. Or at least he tried to think like that. College kicked his ass majority of the time with all the assignments, due dates, and exams. Don't forget the little quizzes in between. He had three classes a week and spent almost every other waking moment at MiU, his workplace.

Every Sunday, the restaurant is slow usually towards the middle of the day. Being the youngest in the place, he's the one who gets forced to do the usual store " Starbucks run" also known as the time everyone yells random drinks at you as you attempt to write it down in your shitty handwriting. After confirming the list, they usually send you over alone to buy the drinks and bring them back.

Thankfully with experience being a waiter gave Jongin the ability to even carry the heavy load.

It's around early October when Jongin goes to do the usual run. Nothing out of the ordinary when he walks into the Starbucks that's right next door to MiU. He walks inside and is immediately greeted by the barista at the cash register. " I see you have a list this time." She teases while staring at the list in the teen's hand. Jongin's desire to just give her the list and save him from messing up all these weird drink names is strong.

However, he knows that she definitely will not be able to read his scraggly teenage boy handwriting. " I figured that trying to remember thirteen drinks isn't a good idea. Lesson learned."

She smiled and he began to list off his coworker's ridiculous drinks that almost always changed. Why couldn't they be simple for him just one time? The only person who ordered the same thing every time was the owner, Chanyeol, who got an iced Americano. After paying for the order, he sat the bar and waited as they were made. The store was a little busy so he felt bad and made sure to tip them around five bucks or so. That was all he really had.

" Tall Vanilla Bean Frappuccino." A smaller girl called out. She gave him a drink holder and walked away to finish more drinks. There were two baristas on bar today and one of them was one Jongin had never seen before. The boy had black hair, a long fringe and a stare as engaging as a dead fish. He was a little plain. Nothing eye-catching other than the fact that he was the only guy working there and had huge eyes.

He handed Jongin his last drink with the blankest expression the tall teen had ever seen. " Thank you so much," Jongin said with a friendly smile but the other boy had just simply walked away. How friendly, Jongin thought to himself as he carried the drinks next door.

The rest of October had gone on that way. Jongin and the new male barista's awkward interactions. Jongin walked inside one Tuesday afternoon and nobody was at the register. He wasn't surprised. He knew Starbucks staff was smaller at night. They were off doing their job. He stood at the register peering at the menu. What did he even want?

" Hello?"

That smooth voice snapped him from his thoughts. He startled slightly as the boy stared up at him with a sigh. " What can I get started for you?" All Jongin could wonder was how long he stood there like an idiot with this guy staring at him. Embarrassment ate him up in a second. " I, uhm...don't usually get things...so uhm..I dont really know what to get..." He mumbled. It was as if this guy was staring through his soul. The entire interaction was so uncomfortable for the teen that he contemplated leaving.

Well, it was until the barista laughed a little under his breath. Jongin peered down at him and felt himself relax slightly at the sight of the other's slight smile. " Do you want hot or cold?" The question made the teen think for a moment, " Uhm, hot is good." The barista didn't miss a beat, " With or without coffee?"

" With coffee please." Question after question came flying from the young boy's mouth. " Do you want something sweet or with a more coffee, bitter taste?" Jongin wasn't exactly sure. He wasn't a big fan of coffee but maybe Starbucks coffee was good? " Uhm, sweet. I'm not a huge coffee drinker." He raised an eyebrow, " Really? That strikes me as a surprise. You're the kid who always comes and gets the big order of drinks right?" Jongin's eyes widened in surprise. He had no idea the boy had been paying attention to existence.

" Yeah thats me." It was a little embarrassing being known as the weird kid who gets all the drinks but he embraced it. After all, it wasn't like it wasn't exactly who he was. " None of them are for you?" He shook his head.

" I'm the official bitch over there due to being the youngest. So I gotta get their shit every Sunday when we get a lull in customers." He cracked a small smile once again at the young boy's interesting description of himself.

The teenager interested the barista. With his sleeve of tattoos and all the piercings in his ears. He finally noticed the small hoop in the boys lower lip. Very interesting indeed. " Want to try some espresso?" He asked and the rebellious looking teen answered with a shrug of his shoulders. " Shit, why not I guess. I've never had Starbucks coffee so it'll be interesting."

" Here." He handed the teen a short cup with a shot of espresso with two small ice cubes in it to cool it down. As soon as the bitter drink hit his taste buds Jongin grimaced very hard. The tiniest of whimpers left his pierced lips. " Ew."

Much to the unhappy teen's surprise, the barista laughed a little bit. This time it was a little louder and a bit more genuine. It was nice to see him open up a little bit. " Here I'll make you a drink and see if you like it." He went over to the espresso bar and the teen watched as he poured the milk into the steam pitcher. " Wait, you don't have any issues with dairy do you?"

As soon as Jongin shook his head, the barista cued the shots. He pumped the syrup and the moment the drink was done, he placed it right in Jongin's hand. " I steamed it at a lower temperature so you can drink it right away. Try it, if you don't like it I'll make you something else." He took a sip and smiled, " Wow! This is really good, what is it?"

" White mocha with a pump of Chestnut Praline syrup." The barista chuckles as Jongin continues to sip on the drink. " Oh, I still need to pay." He addresses when he notices that the barista is going off to do other things. He turns with that small smile again. " It's on the house."

\--

The very next day, the barista was surprised to see the tattooed boy return. Usually he only came Sunday around midday. Now he's here again at night. He seemed a bit tired. " Hi." The barista mumbled while walking over to the register. The teen mustered up a tired smile, " Yo."

" Can I get that drink from yesterday again?" The barista fought a smile. He thought the teen was just being nice about enjoying the drink but it seemed he genuinely liked it. " Size?" He asked and the teen glanced at the menu, " How much is your medium?"

" It'd be five dollars and a quarter." The teen checked his wallet, " Small?" He gave the new total and the teen continued to rummage through the small wallet. " Do you guys have extra small?" With a nod of his head, the barista showed him how small their short size actually was. " I'll just take a water actually."

" Okay." The boy smiled before sitting off in the corner with his backpack. He pulled out a string of notebooks, folders, and a laptop. After a few minutes, he called out for the boy. " Heres your drink." He looked up and seemed surprised, " But-" The barista didn't even let him finish before walking off. " Hey wait." He turned, " I dont need handouts."

" Its not a handout. I made a drink by accident." He stated simply and the boy just laughed to himself a shake of his head. " Thank you, I owe you." He went to grab the drink before hesitating for a moment. " Wait, I have a question." The barista turned, " What?"

" Your name." He raised an eyebrow. Much to Jongin's dismay, he wasn't so eager to tell him. " What about it?"

" What is it?"

" Kyungsoo." Jongin liked it. He thought it suited the guy. " I'm Jongin." Kyungsoo nodded before walking off.

\--


	2. Salted Caramel Mocha

\--

That Sunday, Jongin came walking inside Starbucks with the usual list of drinks that he still could not pronounce. None of the long names made sense to him. He expected the usual girl to ring him up, but much to his surprise Kyungsoo came to the register. He stared at him with his usual blank face. " Not making drinks today?" He shook his head, " The other girl got tired of ringing people up, so here I am." The barista glanced over his shoulder at the long-haired girl at the bar.

He turned back and looked into the teenager's eyes with a small grin. "Drink run again?" The teen nodded with a chuckle. "Apologies ahead of time for how bad I will butcher these names." The barista quirked an eyebrow. "I'm interested now." It took about ten minutes but eventually, they figured out what Jongin's coworkers actually wanted. Right as he went to cash him out he stopped, "Nothing for you?" The teen shook his head. "Nah, I'm good."

"You're good or you're broke?" Jongin frowned slightly, " I'm a little bit of both." Kyungsoo laughed a little. "I understand."

They stood around chatting about how much they both wanted to go home. How both stores had been busy earlier in the day and they were just over it. " I had a customer tell me they wanted a drink with no ice, then complained about how it was warm...Like seriously...?" They both told stories of dumb customers until Jongin's order had been finished. "Uhm, sushi guy?" The girl called out in confusion and Jongin shot a look at the male barista who was fighting back a grin. " What? It's you."

"Ok shortie." Kyungsoo frowned, " I am not-" Jongin cut him off with a laugh, " You're barely above my shoulder so don't deny it." Kyungsoo kept frowning while attempting to defend his height as Jongin kept cackling. The barista's face began to turn red as Jongin reached over to ruffle his hair. " Yah get out of here you punk!" Jongin laughed all the way to the handoff area and all the way out of the door.

\--

Kyungsoo frowned the moment Jongin's long figure came walking through the door. The teen stalked over to the counter and smiled at his favorite barista. "Are you still mad at me?" He teased and Kyungsoo completely ignored him. "Do you hate me for enlightening you about your height issues?" Kyungsoo shot him a dirty look before walking away from him. Jongin watched as he made his way to the backroom. Noticing that the other boy wasn't returning, he leaned against the counter with his arms crossed.

Another worker walked up to him, " Have you been helped yet?" Jongin shook his head, glancing at the backroom. " Not yet." Assuming the barista had seen what just happened and was probably thinking he was harassing Kyungsoo, he acted like a normal human being. The last thing he wanted was to be known as some freak. " Can I get a small White Mocha with Chestnut Praline syrup please..." She smiled politely and continued to ring him up. " We'll have it right up for you." He nodded slightly, " Thank you." He carried his backpack to the corner and got ready to do his Psychology homework. " Tall White Mocha with Chestnut Praline!" The girl called out and Jongin went over to grab his drink.

" Thank you." He returned to spot and basically buried his face in his books. Starbucks was his go to study location. His work was too loud, the library was too quiet but the coffee shop was the perfect mix. Sometimes it got a little loud but the atmosphere there was too good to pass up. The black tiled flooring and the various shades of brown in the place were extremely calming. The workers usually wore smiles and it was always clean. They often played jazz, slow pop songs or piano music so it was just...perfect. It was the usual cliche movie coffee shop but it didn't make Jongin love it any less.

His work had a different vibe. It was less home-like. The walls were similar shades of brown but instead of the framed art of the original Starbucks, MiU had designs to mimic Shoji, Japanese sliding doors, to give a more Japanese feel to the place. Starbucks also had more windows than the MiU staff could ever dream of. So Jongin preferred it at Starbucks more when it came to his annoying college classes. It was easier. His coworkers weren't there to talk to him. He didn't really know any of the customers at Starbucks so he just blended into his own world.

No distractions so concentrating was a simple task.

Well, that was until a certain black haired boy arrived. Now when he thought of stopping by Starbucks he didn't think of how many drinks his coworkers were getting or how much homework he'd get done. Now it was just thoughts of the barista. Will he be there? Are they busy? Will he have time to talk? Am I coming too much? Does he think I'm stalking him?

Suddenly as he was about to turn the page of his bulky Psychology book, someone kicked his chair. He looked up to glare at the asshole but then he met the smiling eyes of his favorite Starbucks barista. " What a nerd." He muttered with a light-hearted laugh. The quiet sound brought a smile to stressed out teens face. He noticed Kyungsoo wasn't wearing his apron, " On a break?" He asked the other as he sat down in the seat across from him. " Lunch." Jongin felt his heart dance a little at the information. " I guess I came at the perfect time then."

Kyungsoo laughed while peering down at the papers and books laid out on the table. " So you are a student hmm..." He inquired while trying to read the book upside down to figure out the subject. " Yep. What gave me away? The lack of money? The dark circles? Backpack? Heavy books?" Jongin joked and Kyungsoo glanced up at the boy, " You're in..?" He asked quietly but the question confused Jongin. " I'm in...school?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, " High school? College..?" That's when Jongin realized that Kyungsoo was attempting to figure out his age.

Deciding that teasing the other was fun, he responded, " High school...why you ask?" It took everything in him to not laugh at how Kyungsoo's already large eyes widened at the information. The barista caught himself and tried to regain composure. " Something wrong?" Kyungsoo shook his head, " I didn't expect you to be so..."

" So...?" Jongin breathed, " So young?" He asked and Kyungsoo nodded a little. He seemed disturbed. " How old are you?"

" I'm twenty-three..." He whispered in shame. " Why the long face?" Jongin asked with a frown. " I feel like a creep for even sitting by you." Disappointment filled the barista to the brim. He enjoyed the boy's company but him being so much younger made him feel extremely creepy. " I'm going to go–" Kyungsoo muttered while sitting but the tattooed boy grabbed his arm. " Wait, wait I was messin' with you." Jongin fought his laugh when Kyungsoo's eyes turned to him. " I'm actually in college." Kyungsoo glared at him, " I don't trust you now."

" You think high school textbooks are this intense?" He asked while gesturing to the thick textbook in front of him. " True..." Kyungsoo slowly sat back down but continued to glare at the other boy. " How old are you actually?" He observed the Jongin's appearance. Now that he thought about it, a highschooler with a sleeve of tattoos and facial piercings was a little bit unrealistic. " How old do you think I am?"

" Not sure, your tattoos and piercings say around twenty-one but your face says seventeen." Jongin cackled at the response. " Both are wrong. I'm in between those two." Kyungsoo sighed, " Tell me you asshole." Jongin smiled widely, " I'm nineteen." Kyungsoo still grimaced. " Still young. No wonder you're such a little fucker." Jongin batted his eyelashes at his hyung. " Me? A little fucker? Hyunggie I'm offended." Kyungsoo laughed while kicking Jongin's long leg." Good."

" But hey aren't you on lunch?" Kyungsoo nodded, " Why aren't you eating? Aren't you hungry?" Jongin asked, a little worried that Kyungsoo wasn't eating. " I hate everything we have here." The response surprised Jongin. He always thought Starbucks had good stuff...but then again it is still a fast food chain. " Reasonable. Why don't you get sushi? I've never seen you other there." Kyungsoo shrugged his shoulders. " I'm not one to try new things and I'm still unfamiliar with things over here. Honestly, I didn't even know if your place was good."

" Why didn't you ask your coworkers?" Kyungsoo sighed and glanced back at them, the floor was basically empty minus one person who was talking to a customer. " We don't really get along." That really surprised Jongin. They all seemed so close here. Everyone was friendly and nice. Well, at least to him they were. " Is there a reason?" Kyungsoo didn't really seem comfortable. " There kind of is...but that's a story for another time." He glanced at his phone, " I have a minute. I have to go back. It was nice talking to you...even if you tried to trick me." Jongin smiled, " I apologize~"

" Alright, well I'll see you around." Kyungsoo went to walked away but he stopped when he heard his name called, " What?" He asked and Jongin cleared his throat a little as his face became a little red. " What time are you off tonight?" The barista smiled, " I close tonight so around midnight." Jongin's shy smile turned into a disappointed frown, " Damn."

" I know." Kyungsoo went to the backroom. He pushed the swinging door and saw his coworkers gathered in the back, standing around and talking. They saw him and grew quiet. " I'm going to go take apart the cafe espresso bar..." One girl mumbled with a laugh while walking by him quickly. " I'm back from lunch," Kyungsoo stated simply while clocking back in. They just nodded as he put his apron back on. He didn't like their expressions. He knew they were talking back here and the topic wasn't one he enjoyed. " Am I going back to drive thru?" His manager nodded. " Alright." He walked back to the floor and started cleaning.

His coworkers bothered him. The barista glanced up to see if his lanky friend was still sitting in the corner and the boy was missing. His belongings were still there. All Kyungsoo could wonder is how he felt okay with leaving his stuff just sitting out like that in public. " Can I have a water?" The sudden voice behind him nearly made him scream. He turned and Jongin was standing there with a smile. " You ass, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

" What? How?! Oh...is it my striking good looks?" Kyungsoo snorted, " Totally." He gave his idiot the water and Jongin went to walk away but he stopped him. " I close tonight but...I don't work tomorrow." Jongin frowned, " I do though. But only until eight!" Kyungsoo smiled, " Would you want to hang out? I know it's a little late but...I dunno." Jongin rambled on and on before staring at his hyung for a response. " I would like that."

Kyungsoo's heart warmed at the happy smile on Junhongs smile, " I'll see you tomorrow then."

Giggles filled the room as Jongin made his way back to his seat. Kyungsoo's face turned a little red as his coworker giggled at him. It was uncomfortable. He turned to her and she immediately stopped. He started cleaning up more ignoring her and the other baristas.

\--


	3. Chai Tea Latte

\--

Work was absolutely slammed. Jongin could barely comprehend what was happening. He was nearly drenched in sweat. Drenched to the point that everytime he went in the back, he had to wipe his face with a napkin. Every time he walked back out, more customers were in his seating area. He groaned quietly to himself before going to greet them. He took their drink order and went to go put it in the computer but he was stopped by a table. 

" We've been waiting for our food for over twenty minutes now! When will it arrive? This is absolutely ridiculous!" An older woman complained, her wrinkles more pronounced with each word that left her mouth, Jongin nearly shouted at her. " I'm sorry ma'am I'll go check on it right now." It was frustrating for the young waiter. That wasn't even his table. He explained to his coworker what happened and he didn't hesitate to express his anger. " I just took their order and put it in! It's been literally five minutes! How fucking annoying." He cursed and they all contemplated fighting everyone who walked in the restaurant. " Goodluck Sehunnie." Jongin mumbled while patting his hyung's back.

Everything was bad. This was possibly one of the busiest days MiU had ever seen. They had two people call off and there were so many groups of people walking in that the wait times for seating were horrible. People kept calling for pick ups too. It was horrible. Time slipped from the stressed college student's mind until the door opened again. He turned and saw Kyungsoo standing there. His heart nearly stopped. The barista looked quite handsome. It never occurred to Jongin that he never saw the older boy in casual clothing, only his work uniform.

Was it already eight? 

" Hey!" He chirped while running over to his friend. " It's crazy in here...Damn.." He looked around at all the full seats. Every seat was filled. " I know...I might not be able to get off on time...I'm sorry." Kyungsoo shook his head, " It's cool. I understand. Especially since this place is slammed." Jongin turned to the hostess, " Seat him in my area alright?" She nodded with a smile. " Thanks Jaehee." He waved goodbye to Kyungsoo and ran off to wait his tables. It was nervewracking to have Kyungsoo here. Jongin felt nervous knowing that he could see if he messed up so he tried extra hard to do his best. The faster he got these people out of here, the faster he could leave to hang out with Kyungsoo. 

Finally the couple in the corner left and Kyungsoo could sit down. Jongin went to leave the backroom to take Kyungsoo's order but his coworker stopped him. " You're sweating bad again Jongnie." After having his noona fix his appearance, he went out to Kyungsoo's table. " What would you like sir?" He teased and Kyungsoo glared up at him. " I have no idea. Would you be able to recommend me something mister waiter?" 

" The Spicy California Tempura is really good." They spoke a little before Jongin left to put Kyungsoo's order on the computer. He continued to run around and give people their food and get bitched at. " Maybe if you didn't put so many holes in your face you could take my order better!" An older man screamed at the teen. Jongin offered a polite smile, " Sir, I'm sorry about your inconvenience but I didn't take your order so I'm not sure why it hasn't arrived yet. I will go ask your server right now." Being calm with people like this is one of the hardest things to Jongin. He can't understand why some of his customers are so ignorant and disrespectful. 

The man kept trying to argue with him so Jongin just eventually walked away. The manager pulled him aside. " You okay?" He asked while patting Jongin's shoulder. " Yeah hyung just tired. Why?" 

" Just worried. Customers have been bad today...sorry about everything, you're good to leave now if you want. I'll take over your tables. Mine are clear finally." Jongin stared at him. " A-Are you sure? I can sta-" His manager cut him off, " Table in the corner is waiting for you right? You can go. It's already been thirty minutes. Thanks Jong." Jongin grinned from ear to ear. " Thanks hyung! I appreciate it so much. You're the greatest." Jongin chirped while hugging him. " Yeah yeah you're lucky you're my favorite." Jongin nearly ripped his apron off and fixed his appearance in the backroom. " Fuck I'm so disgusted right now." He whined while staring in the mirror.

For the first time in a while, he was hanging out with a friend. He wanted it to go smoothly especially since it was a handsome friend... Hanging out after work was a bad idea. What if he smells? What if Kyungsoo thinks hes gross? Thoughts danced through Jongin's mind but he didn't let it stop him. After all, Kyungsoo was already here. He went out and sat at Kyungsoo's table. " Yo." The barista seemed surprised. He looked up at the waiter with a mouth full of sushi. Jongin laughed at the adorable sight. 

Kyungsoo's face turned red. " What?" He nearly hissed after swallowing his food. Jongin thought it was cute. " Not a damn thing." He chirped playfully while resting his chin on his hand. " Tell me you shithead." Jongin laughed again, " Nah I'm good." He reached over and stole a roll from Kyungsoo's plate. " Yah!" Kyungsoo whined but Jongin just chuckled to himself. " Hurry up and eat~ I wanna get out of here."

" I still need to pay tho-" Jongin cut him off, " Nah it's on the house. You really think I'd make you pay?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes and Jongin just smiled. " Want to walk around the park down the street?" Kyungsoo smiles, " Sure." They get up and Kyungsoo puts on his jacket. " Want me to drive us there?" 

" Sure." Jongin answers simply. The park is a little dark when they arrive but they continue to park anyways. They walked around talking about just random things. " Aren't you cold?" 

" Nah, I'm alright." Jongin shrugs his shoulders. Kyungsoo continues walking as he ponders as to why Jongin is being an idiot, not wearing a jacket in this cold weather. The barista is only partially surprised when Jongin takes out of a cigarette. The teen lights it up, a big puff of smoke comes from his lips, Kyungsoo simply waves it away with a grumble. " I'm sorry I thought the wind was going the other way." Jongin is sincere so Kyungsoo doesn't get angry.

They fall quiet for a few minutes. " Wow." He says while shaking his head with a small laugh. " Wow?" Jongin asks, " Tattoos, piercings and now you're smoking too? What a thug. I didn't know I was hanging out with the neighborhood delinquent." Kyungsoo teased with a grin. " Yeah and I'm hanging out with some Starbucks hipster so?" They continue to joke back and forth until Jongin stepped in front of Kyungsoo. They bumped into each other and Kyungsoo almost fell over. "  You asshole, learn how to walk!" 

Jongin kept nudging him and laughing loudly, proud for making Kyungsoo yell. It was interesting to see emotion cross the older boys usually blank face. " Awh fuck." He was so preoccupied with pissing off the older boy that his cigarette fell to the ground. " Karma is a bitch and so are you." Kyungsoo teased. They continued to stroll around the park while Jongin pouted over his wasted cigarette. " You sure you aren't cold?"

" Absolutely positive." Kyungsoo wasn't believing it. They had been walking around for almost an hour now. He knew the teen was sweaty and overheated from work earlier but he knew that he had to be cold by now. " I don't believe you." He reached over and touched his arm. It was ice cold. " You shit." Jongin had only been wearing a short sleeved shirt this entire time, his arms were covered in goosebumps. " Lets go back to my car. You're going to get sick."

" No, Kyungsoo I promise I'm fine." Jongin tried to convince the older but Kyungsoo wasn't having any of it. He grabbed Jongin's arm, nearly dragged him back to his car before blasting the beat. " Why wont you believe me-" 

" You're probably numb you shithead. If we keep walking you're going to get a cold that will turn into the flu that will turn into pneumonia then you will die. Do you want to die?" Jongin pouted, " No." 

" Exactly. Now lets sit in here and turn on the heat." Jongin sat there pouting like a child as Kyungsoo turned the knob all the way to the right for heat. "We can talk in here still." Kyungsoo reminded. Jongin continued to be quiet. " Youre going to burn out your car battery..." 

" Well we can go sit in a cafe or something and talk." Jongin checked his phone, " It's already ten though...what is still open?" Kyungsoo sighed he only knew one open place. " We can go to the Starbucks a few miles away from work. It's open until midnight." 

\--

After arriving at the other Starbucks, they ordered and sat down at a table. " So what made you want to pierce your lip?" Kyungsoo asked while observing the small hoop Jongin's lower  lip. " I did it back in high school. Thought it was cool. Same with my ears, lips and other piercings. " The last sentence really caught the barista's attention. " Others?"  Jongin laughed at Kyungsoo's interest. 

" I have my nipples pierced." Kyungsoo's jaw dropped and his face turned a little red. " What?" He whispered loudly in shock. Jongin burst into laughter. " Im kidding! I would never in this life pierce my nipples. I'm not into that shit." Kyungsoo kicked his knee under the table. " Don't surprise me like that you ass." 

" But it's fun." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, " Are you going to reveal your secret piercing to me?" Jongin grinned, " You might find out one day." The sentence both intrigued and creeped Kyungsoo out. He didn't know what the teen meant but a small part of him wanted to find out. 

" So how did you end up at the Starbucks next to me?" Kyungsoo sighed as he sipped his drink. " I moved over here and this was the only one with an opening. It's convenient though. Its not far from my apartment." 

" Oh~ Same. Where'd you move from?" The sighs seemed to never end as Kyungsoo spoke. " Well...I moved only a few miles honestly. My roommate was annoying though so I left. But the place I worked at was already far so I decided to transfer." Jongin listened intently while occasionally sipping on his White Mocha with Vanilla. "  Do you like Starbucks?"

" I guess. Yeah. The money is whatever. I do it just to pass time honestly. I used to dread it a lot." Jongin seemed saddened by the news. It was a little obvious when he visited that Kyungsoo didn't enjoy his job very much. " Used to dread it? Do you still hate it now or?" Kyungsoo's eyes brightened a little at the question. " It is definitely a lot more enjoyable now." 

" Oh?" 

" Yeah now I have someone to constantly come over and piss me off with stupid jokes. So it's fun going to work." Kyungsoo explains, lips forming into a mischievous grin as his eyes light up. " I heard about that! Isn't the person really good looking and charming? I heard he's great with words."

" Really? I heard he's bad news. He's the local neighborhood thug that your parents warn you not to hang out with people they smoke cigarettes. Oh don't forget those tattoos and secret piercings too." 

" Bad boys are sexy though."

" Yeah lung cancer and nipple piercings are super adorable." 

" Better than short people who are so short they can't see over the counter and wear bright green aprons." The two continued to bicker back and forth until a barista came over, " I just wanted to let you know that we close in about ten minutes."  He reminded and they both thanked him. " Lets go shortie." Kyungsoo glared at him, " I'm not short! It's not my fault you're a tree."  After they left, the walked back to Kyungsoo's car. " Can you fit inside my car you giant?" 

" I dont know, can you see over the dashboard?" They went back and forth until they found themselves parked next to Jongin's car. " I had fun today," Jongin stated simply with a smile on his face. " I did too. We should hangout again sometime." Jongin smiled and went to leave but then remembered he forgot one thing. " Uhm actually I have a question." Kyungsoo turned with no expression. The blank look made the tattooed teen nervous. He seemed so uninterested that it made Jongin think that he was going to sound like an idiot.

Hesitation hit him like a truck, " Uhm..actually nevermind..." Kyungsoo frowned. " Why did my face make you stop?" Jongin smiled. " Because you look like you hate my guts." Kyungsoo punched Jongin's shoulder with a laugh.

" At the rate you're going, maybe I do." The tension in Jongin's mind had begun to cease the more he saw Kyungsoo's smile. " What were you going to ask me?" Jongin stared into Kyungsoo's deep brown eyes and contemplated whether he should actually ask. He felt shy now. Worrying about whether his friend would find him creepy or not was weighing in his heart.  " Nah it's nothing." 

A temporary silence washed over them before Kyungsoo stopped glaring at him to speak. " What? No, tell me." Jongin refused, shaking his head with a smile. " I'm good." Kyungsoo punched his shoulder. 

" It's nothing major-" Kyungsoo cut him off, " Just tell me you asshat." Realizing that Kyungsoo wasn't going to give up, Jongin gave in. " I was going to ask you for your number." The barista blinked a few times as he stared at the boy in his passenger seat. The usual fire in his eyes wasn't as strong. He seemed timid and maybe...shy? It was odd for Kyungsoo to see it. He had only known Jongin for a month and a half now but he knew the boy was loud, fiery and a jokester. He seemed serious this time though. But for what? It wasn't such a serious question.

" Oh, okay. No problem...why do you look so embarrassed?" Jongin tried to cover up his embarrassment by scoffing and laughing it off awkwardly. " Embarrassed? What are you talking about?" Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at the terrible cover up before telling the idiot to take his phone out. He put his number in and glanced into Jongin's eyes. " Text me with your name."

\--

Kyungsoo groans when he wakes up in the morning to his blaring alarm. He goes to smack the alarm clock, then realizes that it was a horrible idea as his phone flings across the room, he contemplates just skipping work and sleeping all day. Right as he started falling back asleep, a loud bark blares through the room. " Monggu baby please...stop..." 

Kyungsoo pleads in a soft whimper, burying his face in his pillow. However, the small bulldog refuses to quiet down. The loud barking results in an exhausted Kyungsoo walking around outside buried in a large knit scarf, a hoodie and a jacket walking around his bundle of joy. " You're so lucky I love you." He mutters as the pup happily dances across the sidewalks in his red knit sweater.

After making multiple walks up and down the street, the two finally return home. Thats when Kyungsoo remembers his phone was on the floor. He goes to retrieve it and is surprised by a text message. He contemplates not opening it due to the number not already being in his phone. Thinking it was a coworker asking him to cover a shift, he chooses to ignore it. Young took a shower before making himself presentable for work. He puts a little extra time in his hair this time, wanting to look nice. 

His phone buzzed and he checks it, once again that unknown number texted him. Deciding that they must really want a response he opened it. He frowned at the text.

Oh~ Kyungsoo~

He knew exactly who it was after the second message which only read shooorttieeeee! He responded and put his phone in his pocket. He pet Monggu one more time before heading out the door. When he arrived at work, he went right to the backroom. " Kyungsoo you're going to bar." Is all they said to him until it was time for him to take his first break. 

He was tired. Making drinks by himself for hours had made his muscles a little sore. They were busier than usual and nobody helped him. Out of all the baristas, he made drinks the best and the fastest. It was a blessing and a curse. He enjoyed making the beverages but he hated the stress along with the mess that came along with it. When he got home at the end of the day he was covered in syrup, frappucino roast and milk. Being on bar you had to think quick and move even quicker. Eventually Kyungsoo just went on autopilot and slammed the drinks out. The job was beginning to get less fun each day.

They got more busy each time and his coworkers never offered him any help. He'd be drowning in drinks while they stood around and talked. Talked mostly about him. He didn't let it phase him. He had no idea what they were always giggling and whispering about but judging by them constantly glancing at him, he knew it was him. Everytime Kyungsoo entered the room, they immediately hushed up. He was alone in this store and it hurt a little. Some days it hurt more than usual.

Today had been one of those days. 

In the past, he would sit on the curb and search online for other jobs. Now Kyungsoo found himself sitting and staring at his phone, waiting for a certain tattooed idiot to respond to him. " Why would he text me then not reply..." Kyungsoo mumbled bitterly to himself as he sipped on his water.  He really appreciated the boys company. Jongin was such a positive addition to his life but he was also a negative. Whenever the boy wasnt around, Kyungsoo realized how lonely he really was. He decided to make a move and send a message.

The response was almost instant. It surprised him. He smiled at the dilligence of his young friend. They texted back and forth until Kyungsoo had to go back to work. This time, he didn't mind returning as much. 

 

\--


	4. Cinnamon Dolce Latte

" Kyungsoo you can take your lunch now." His manager said over the headset, " Alright." He grabbed his coat, clocked out and sat on the curb. It was already seven at night and the wind was blowing a little harder tonight. Today was more hectic than last week due to the new buy one get one free promotion on drinks. Kyungsoo slaved over the espresso bar all day and he was frustrated beyond belief. He was only removed from it once during his entire seven-hour shift. Then he was put on store support where everyone just yelled his name all day and didn't do a thing to help themselves.

Kyungsoo get ice! Kyungsoo make whipped creams! Kyungsoo make backups of the syrups! Kyungsoo you're so slow!

He covered his face and contemplated just leaving. He was so fed up and tired. He didn't know what to do. All they did was talk down to him today and it was as if the entire world was against him. Tears wanted to form in his eyes but he didn't even have the energy to cry at this point. His arms were coated in mocha and other syrups, he was covered in sweat, his hands were dry and cracking from the sanitizer water. 

" Oh! It's Kyungsoo!" The sudden call startled him, he gasped. He looked up to see Jongin gazing down at him with the brightest smile he had ever seen. But the moment Jongin's eyes met his favorite barista's, his smile fell. " What's wrong?" He asked while sitting down next to him. " I'm tired." He mumbled as the wind blew past them. Kyungsoo's eyes remained trained on the concrete as silence danced across the two of them. " You sure that's all...?" The uncertainty in Jongin's voice made Kyungsoo contemplate telling him what really was going on.

" Yep." He whispered quietly. " Alright."

They sat in silence as Jongin smoked a cigarette. " Sorry..." Kyungsoo whispered after a while. Guilt ate at him for creating such an uncomfortable atmosphere. " You on lunch?" Kyungsoo nodded slowly, " So am I. When does yours end?"

" I have twenty minutes still." The sudden question was a little confusing but Kyungsoo didn't ponder too much. " Alright, sweet." A moment or so passed by before Jongin put his hand on the side of Kyungsoo's head. He gently pushed the older's head onto his shoulder. " Wha-"

" Sleep. You're tired right? I'll wake you up when your lunch ends." Any other day Kyungsoo would never allow such an embarrassing position to happen. Let alone sleeping in public. It would normally make him so uncomfortable however, he couldn't tell what was different today. Maybe it's because today was so rough and he was so upset? Or maybe it's because it was Jongin? Maybe the soft spot he had for the boy was more prevalent than he had originally thought. But right now, that didn't matter.

All he knew was that the wind was cold and Jongin was warm.

" Hey...Kyungsoo... Soo, wake up." His eyes fluttered open at the gentle call of his name. He sat up and remembered where he was. He faced Jongin and blushed a little at how embarrassed he felt for actually falling asleep on his shoulder. " You have three minutes left." They both got up and Kyungsoo sighed. He started to walk away before realizing that while he felt embarrassed, what he was doing was rude. He turned to Jongin, who still wore a smile on his face. " Thank you." Kyungsoo's voice was small and he hoped that it was dark enough for Jongin not to notice the red on his cheeks. 

Jongin walked closer to his hyung with a small giggle. " Don't thank me. I didn't do shit." Kyungsoo cracked a smile. " Well, I'd better head back." He went to turn but Jongin pulled him back. Before Kyungsoo could question what was happening, he was enveloped in Jongin's warm embrace. " I'm here for you." Those simple words created a tidal wave of emotions in Kyungsoo's chest. At the first the sudden physical made him close up a little. But after a few seconds, he realized that it wasn't bad nor was it uncomfortable.

Warm.

" Thank you." The barista whispered quietly against the teen's shoulder. Very slowly, his arms wrapped around the lanky boy's body. They embraced for a few minutes before disconnecting so Kyungsoo could return to work. 

\--

" Why are you even playing that game if you keep losing?" Kyungsoo asked with a loud sigh. He was taking Monggu for a walk while talking on the phone. " Because it's so fun!" Sometimes Kyungsoo wondered what went through that kid's mind. " If it's that fun and you play it so often, shouldn't you be improving?!" He couldn't fight the smile when all he could hear was Jongin's whining. " You're so mean to me!" 

" No, I'm honest. There is a huge difference, idiot." They kept bickering all the way until Kyungsoo got home. He walked inside and took off his jacket with Jongin on speakerphone. It was already five so he started making dinner. " Whats that noise?" Jongin asked and it was clear his mouth was full. " I'm cooking dinner. What are you stuffing in your mouth now?" Jongin giggled, " Chips! What're you making?" 

" I'm making fried ham with fried rice...why are you eating snacks?" Kyungsoo scolded while pouring some soy sauce into his pan. " This is dinner." That didn't sit well with Jongin. That sentence reminded him that his friend wasn't very well off. Not that Kyungsoo was rich, but money was usually not a problem. It reminded him of the day Jongin couldn't even get a drink from Starbucks because he couldn't afford it. He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about what he was going to do. He had an idea but he felt unsure.

" Well...Do you want to come over? I made a lot." There was a slight silence that made Kyungsoo regret asking. Was it too soon? They had been friends for almost two months now. Also, he really did make too much. Proportions definitely weren't his strong suit. " Like...come to your house?"

" No, come over to McDonald's. Yes, come to my house." Kyungsoo hissed and Jongin still seemed to be in shock. " Sure, I mean...yeah...where do you live? How good are you at cooking?" He smiled at Jongin's dumb questions. This fucker. " I'm a master chef. I'll text you my address. Let me know if you get lost. I know it's hard to see after losing at your video game too much." Jongin whined again.

" Asshole. I'll be over soon." They hung up and Kyungsoo texted him the address. Jongin replied with an emoji and Kyungsoo laughed while continuing to cook. Then it hit him. Jongin's coming over for the first time. His heart nearly stopped as he quickly cleaned up. Kyungsoo's house was never dirty but sometimes he got lazy and threw clothes on the floor. He went and changed into something that wasn't pajama bottoms and a dirty old t-shirt. 

After deciding that he didn't want to look like he was trying too hard, he put on a loose white t-shirt and grey sweatpants. He fixed his hair and went back to cooking. The doorbell rang and the barista immediately jumped. Monggu began barking and running towards the door with Kyungsoo walking behind him. He adjusted his appearance one more time before opening the door. The nervous look in Jongin's eyes made Kyungsoo calm down a little bit. It was relaxing knowing that Jongin was just as nervous as he was. It was a little ridiculous now that he thought of it. " H..Hey..."  

Kyungsoo couldn't hold back the laugh at Jongin's clear discomfort. " Hi." Monggu barked and frightened the awkward teen at the door. That's when it hit Kyungsoo. Did Jongin even like animals? What if he had an allergy? " I didn't know you had a dog!" Jongin practically squealed. " Oh...I never mentioned him?" That was a surprise to the barista. His dog was his life. Jongin entered while pursuing the small black and white french bulldog.

" This is Monggu." 

" Hi, Monggu! Oh my god, he's so adorable. Holy shit Soo why did you hide him from me?!" That was the quite obvious hint that Jongin definitely likes animals. " Okay, I'm going to finish cooking. Please refrain from smothering my puppy." 

The house was quiet minus the constant cooing from Jongin. It was clear that he was in love with Monggu and Monggu loved him just as much. " Dinner is done," Kyungsoo announced and Jongin looked so excited. " Ooh~ Soo Soo's cooking!" Kyungsoo blushed at the nickname. They made jokes and talked about random things, like why Jongin is still shitty at his game and how Kyungsoo's dog was too cute for words. Jongin stood up and followed Kyungsoo to the sink. " Here I'll help you clean up." He offered politely. 

Somehow, cleaning dishes ended up with Kyungsoo getting a handful of bubbles in his hair. " Yah! You fucker!" Jongin just giggled while playing with the pile sitting on Kyungsoo's black hair. Eventually, the dishes were cleaned and they settled down on the couch. "Let's watch a movie. How about a comedy?!" Jongin yelled while flipping through the channels. " They made a movie about your life?" 

" Yeah! It was a hit. I heard the reviews were saying they couldn't believe how hot the main character was. Maybe they got a thing for piercings?" The two of them kept making jokes while trying to decide on a movie. Eventually they decided on watching some random comedy. " If this sucks, you owe me five dollars," Kyungsoo announced while laying back against the armrest. " What? Alright, well if its amazing then you owe me an apology for saying I suck at my game." 

" Alright."

By the time the movie ended both of them were laughing themselves to tears. After watching the movie and the sequel they both were laughing and yawning. " Okay I admit, it was good." Jongin grinned at the news. " I am sorry for saying that you suck at your game." Jongin cheered to himself and Kyungsoo couldnt help but think of how cute the stupid little gesture. They kept talking and found themselves yawning even more. Kyungsoo had to admit that he enjoyed the boys company so much more now. 

" What time is it?" Jongin asked with a loud yawn. " Time for you to shut your mouth."

" Asshole." Kyungsoo checked the clock and his eyes widened. " It's already two thirty." Jongin seemed equally as surprised. They had both been so immersed in their own little they hadn't noticed that so much time had passed. " I guess I should head out." 

" You sure?" Jongin had been yawning a lot and his eyes were barely open which worried Kyungsoo. " Will you make it home okay?" Jongin flashed a sleepy smile while patting his friend's shoulder. " Of course. I'm a pro at driving half dead. I'm a college student, its a necessary skill." Kyungsoo scoffed as Jongin stood up and stretched. He wanted to say goodbye to Monggu but the pup was already fast asleep. Kyungsoo walked his guest to the door. " Thanks for the food and for having me over. It was fun." 

" It was. Come back soon okay?" Jongin nodded with a yawn, " Of course. I had too much fun to not come back. Have a goodnight Soo." He whispered while turning to head towards his car, " Jong." The lanky boy turned at the sudden call of his name. " Text me when you get home okay?"

" Yessir."

It wasn't long before Kyungsoo's phone buzzed with a message.

I have arrived at my home mister barista.

Kyungsoo scoffed at the stupid message. His heart calmed a little knowing that Jongin didn't crash and die on his way. He was worried because he was already so dumb while wide awake, he didn't want to imagine half asleep Jongin.  

Okay, thanks for letting me know.

As hard as it was for the barista to admit, he really wanted the conversation to continue. His eyes burned and he was so unbelievably tired but he still wanted to talk to the younger boy. 

Is there a reason you wanted me to text you? You doubting my driving skills?

It was hard to not say yes to that. While he was doubting Jongin's half asleep driving skills he also worried because Jongin had never been to Kyungsoo's house before. He was afraid he would get lost or another driver would hit him. The world isn't safe after one in the morning to Kyungsoo. 

Kyungsoo sat and stared at his phone for three minutes before finally hitting send. He was afraid that his message was too cheesy. It was the truth but it made him shy. What if Jongin thought he was weird?

Because I wanted to know you were safe.


	5. Peppermint Mocha

Sunday came and much to Kyungsoo's dismay, Jongin didn't show up for his drinks. When he was sent on his lunch break, Kyungsoo sent a text asking where he was. Jongin responded with a call. " Hey.." Kyungsoo mumbled, he frowned when he was answered by coughing. " Hi. Yeah, I'm not at work. I think I caught a cold." Worry hit Kyungsoo like a bullet. " You did? Are you going to be alright?"

Kyungsoo was really worried. Jongin was a broke college student living on his own. Kyungsoo knew that the younger boy didn't have medicine or proper meals. " Yeah, I'll be fine. I get sick a lot so I'm used to it."  They talked on the phone until Kyungsoo had to go back. Just because Jongin claimed he was fine didn't mean Kyungsoo didn't worry. 

Frustration filled the barista to the brim when he realized that he can't even check up on the teen because he had no idea where the other boy lived. Work went as usual. Every so often when he was alone in the back he would check his phone to see if Jongin had called him. He told the younger boy to call him if he needed anything. The time he got off was slowly approaching and he contemplated asking Jongin where he lived. 

"Kyungsoo we're slow. Want to go early today? I was told to cut people to save hours." Kyungsoo quickly nodded and took off his apron. After clocking out, he didn't hesitate to call his sickly friend. " Hi Soo." Jongin greeted and it made Kyungsoo smile because despite not feeling well, he still sounded happy.  "How are you?"

"Shitty, you?" Kyungsoo fiddled with the bottom of his shirt. " I'm alright...Hey, I have a question." Jongin hummed in response. Kyungsoo contemplated not asking after all. What if Jongin found it weird? What if Jongin doesn't want to see him?

"Soo? Whats wrong?" The worried tone made Kyungsoo just give in and ask, " Where do you live?" 

"Huh? Why?"

"Just answer the question." 

Jongin easily gave up his address to his hyung. " Okay...Well I'm hanging up now. Bye." He quickly ended the call before heading out of a work with a little smile playing on his lips. 

"What're you doing here?" Jongin asked when he opened the door to see Kyungsoo standing there with a smile. "To see you." He answered quietly with a small blush. The sudden appearance of the barista still confused the sick Jongin. "W..Why?" Kyungsoo frowned, "Do you not want to see me?" 

"Of course I do, is that even a question?" He grinned widely and fought the urge to hug his adorable friend. "I was just surprised. I didn't think you'd want to see me." 

"Why wouldn't I want to?" Kyungsoo asked as he observed Jongin's messy appearance. "Because I'm disgusting." The tattooed teen stated simply. Kyungsoo couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. "That's fine with me."

Despite Jongin's messy hair, runny nose, and pale face Kyungsoo didn't mind seeing him. He was still good looking to the barista. If anything, his state just made him look more his age and Kyungsoo found it cute. 

" Want to come in? Instead of us conversing in my doorway?" Kyungsoo walked inside and immediately shivered. "Why is it so cold? No wonder you're sick."  Kyungsoo complained loudly as Jongin chuckled. " Heat is expensive in this building, besides it broke a couple days ago. I also sweat very, very easily. I'm called the human waterfall at work."

"Your heat broke?" Kyungsoo asked, wide eyes staring holes into Jongin's face.

"Yes." 

"You've been sick with no heat and didn't say anything to me? You've just been cooped up in here in the cold?"

"Yep!"

Kyungsoo punched the sickly boys shoulder. " Ow.." Jongin whimpered with a pout. " You're an idiot go grab a change of clothes." Jongin wanted to question it but Kyungsoo's facial expression told him not to. The older looked genuinely angered. When Jongin returned from down the hall with clothes, Kyungsoo took out his keys. " Come on. Lets go to my place." Jongin looked surprised, " Wh-"

" You're sick and your apartment is like an ice cube. Lets go." Confusion spread through Jongin's foggy mind in an instant. The sudden gesture caught him completely off-guard. He felt a bit awkward when they arrived at Kyungsoo's house. " You can just chill on the couch if you want. I'm going to make some soup." Kyungsoo called as he walked towards the kitchen. Jongin could already feel the warmth of Kyungsoo's house. He was happy to be back here. 

Monggu joined the sickly teen on the couch as they waited for Kyungsoo. All Kyungsoo could hear as he stirred his soup was quiet sniffles from the living room. An occasional cough here and there. He felt bad for Jongin, being sick wasn't exactly enjoyable. " Here." He handed Jongin the bowl of soup. " It shouldnt be too hot. I put a few ice cubes in there..."

" Thank you mom." Jongin teased with a sniffle. " Shut up you asswipe. I'm being nice to you. Enjoy it." Kyungsoo hissed while joining his friend on the couch. Monggu sat on his lap as they watched tv. Kyungsoo occasionally glanced over at his sickly friend. Eventually, he noticed the boy dozing off. " Do you want to lay down? I can move..." Kyungsoo offered, unsure of what to do.

While he has obviously gotten sick in past he's never taken care of a sick person.  The barista was unsure of what he should do. He already gave Jongin soup, cold medicine and offered blankets...Is that all? Or is there other things?

He contemplated texting his friend but he knew Baekhyun would not be useful at all. All he would do is harass Kyungsoo on who Jongin is and the barista was not ready to have that talk. Honestly, Kyungsoo didn't even know what was going on with Jongin. Yeah they were friends but...He felt something different with the tattooed boy. The boy's presence put Jongin at ease. He was fun, didn't force Kyungsoo to act a certain way and he genuinely cared about Kyungsoo's wellbeing. It was weird. 

Jongin yawned loudly before moving. Kyungsoo got ready to get out of the way so Jongin could lay down but that didn't seem to be in the sickly boy's plan. He laid his head down in Kyungsoo's lap. He got comfortable and shut his eyes. Kyungsoo's face turned red as he stared down in shock. " Y-Yah." He tried to scold but his voice cracked. " Comfy..." Jongin whispered with a smile. Admitting defeat, Kyungsoo covered Jongin with a blanket and turned the television's volume down a little bit. Jongin was surprised when a hand began running through his messy hair. It caught him off-guard.

" I thought you'd push me off." 

" Go to sleep," Kyungsoo whispered, hoping Jongin wouldn't realize how even more red his face was. 

\--

Jongin was more surprised when he woke up in Kyungsoo's bed. It was warm and probably the most comfortable mattress he had ever slept on. It was like sleeping on a cloud. However, there was one thing that was better than the mattress. He turned and saw Kyungsoo's peaceful sleeping face. He took in the beautiful sight as the suns rays beamed through the window. The boy's long black eyelashes and his adorable chubby cheeks. He was always good looking but now that Jongin had the actual time to look at the older's face...He was breathtaking.

Jongin laughed quietly to himself at how creepy he was acting. He slowly reached over and brushed Kyungsoo's messy bangs from his face. The boy shifted in his sleep and Jongin feared that he was woken Kyungsoo up. Jongin's phone began ringing from the other room. So he slowly withdrew from the bed and headed towards the ringing. 

" Hey hyung..." He mumbled while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. " How do you feel?" Chanyeol's deep voice laced with concern. It made Jongin smile, " I'm alright hyung. I feel a lot better." His cousin's laugh was like music to his ears. He hated knowing that he was worrying others but at the same time it was nice. Knowing that you mattered to people was calming. " Want me to come over and make you some food? Since I know you don't have shit in your fridge." Jongin grinned from ear to ear.

" No need hyung..I'm actually not even home." He snickered while sitting down at the kitchen table. " What? Where did you go?! You have a feve–" He cut off his cousin's nagging to explain. " I'm at Kyungsoo's house." 

" What? The Starbucks guy you're in love with?" Jongin frowned, " I'm not in love with him shut up. He's my friend. " Chanyeol snickered, " Your friend? Your friend that you go out of your way to visit at work? Your friend who you hang out with until three or four in the morning? The one you talk about nonstop? The one you hug in the parking lot?" Jongin's face turned, " You saw that?!" 

" Of course. We all did. Well, at least Sehun and I did. It was cute!" Jongin groaned and rested his head on the table. " Anyways, I'm glad he's at least taking care of you since you obviously can't do it yourself-" 

" Hey I can take care of myself! Did you call to check up on me or hoe me out hyung?" 

" Hmm, I guess a little of both. But I have to go, let me know when you're coming back to work, you sickly lovestruck teenager." Then he hung up. Jongin felt so embarrassed. He didn't realize how obvious he was acting with his crush on Kyungsoo. He felt something touch his leg and he nearly screamed. He looked down and saw Monggu sitting there with his tail wagging. " God you're so cute." 

He started playing with the pup who was too adorable to resist. Soon, he heard footsteps and turned to see Kyungsoo walking from the bedroom half asleep. " Good morning Soo." He called and Kyungsoo looked surprised to see him. " Oh my god, I forgot you were here." He exclaimed while grabbing his chest. " You scared me..." Jongin laughed loudly and Monggu realized Kyungsoo was up so he quickly ran over. Kyungsoo kneeled down to pet the pup as Jongin frowned. " Here I thought we were bonding Monggu."

" Jealous?" Kyungsoo sneered and Jongin made a face. " Not of you." 

" Okay liar. Well I'm taking him for a walk." Kyungsoo mumbled while putting on a jacket. " Oh I'll go too." Kyungsoo gave Jongin a coat and a scarf. He wrapped it around Jongins neck and frowned at how much taller the younger boy was. " Its okay shortie." Jongin teased but Kyungsoo wasn't amused, so he kept wrapping the scarf until it covered the boys entire face. " Good now you can shut up!" After putting a sweater on Monggu, they started walking.

Kyungsoo held the lease as Jongin quietly walked beside him observing the neighborhood. It was clean. All the houses were similar but not exact and there were children running around and playing. It wasn't too different from Jongin's. He lived in an apartment complex with few children, which he definitely didn't mind, but he had more young adults in his. He got along with the majority of the people in his building due to them being in the same age group. 

"Your neighbors seem nice," Jongin commented after an elderly woman waved at them with a smile. " They are. We don't speak much but they are very kind to me. Especially that elderly woman. Her daughter is nice to me as well. They give me pastries a lot and offer to have me over on holidays." 

"Wow, that's awesome!" Kyungsoo nodded happily. "I always decline because I'd feel awkward being around their family but the offer is appreciated." Jongin sneezed, "  Bless you." Jongin chuckled, "Thanks. But are you alone on holidays or something?" Jongin got worried when Kyungsoo grew quiet. " Yeah, I dont speak much with my family. And my friend is usually busy. I mean I'm not really alone. Monggu is with me."

"Is there a reason you don't talk to your family..?" Jongin asked softly.

Afraid that Kyungsoo wouldn't appreciate his prying. He was just curious. " They don't like that I'm gay." Jongin frowned, " How annoying." Kyungsoo laughed but Jongin was still annoyed. " Well, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?" 

"I'm considering eating some chicken, why?" Jongin stopped walking and a grin played on his lips. His heart began to beat a little quickly but he was determined to ask. " I usually eat with my cousin and a few of our friends...Want to come? You've already seen all of them. It'll be fun I promise!" The older boy seemed unsure. " Please Soo Soo?" Jongin pleaded cutely and Kyungsoo groaned, "Fine just don't ever do that again."

"Yes!"

\--

"Soo? Hey! Want to watch this movie with me?! It just got in theaters like two days ago!" Jongin practically screamed over the phone. Kyungsoo grimaced at the loud sound but still agreed. " Sure, what's it called?"

"Before The Dawn! It looks so cool! I'll pick you up in like ten minutes!" He screeched before he hung up and Kyungsoo got up with a sigh. Jongin was an interesting person. Kyungsoo washed his face and put on a big, knit black sweater paired with some black jeans. He styled his hair before sitting down to talk to Monggu, who had been following him around his entire time. 

It wasn't long before his phone started ringing. He picked it up and once again Jongin was screaming, " I'm here!" Kyungsoo hugged Monggu before grabbing his keys and leaving. He got in the car and Jongin was smiling brightly from ear to ear. How cute, Kyungsoo thought to himself as Jongin excitedly started driving away. " So since it's still a bit early, want to grab something to eat?" The shy tone in the youngers voice made something stir in Kyungsoo's heart. " Yeah that'd be good." They ended up going to a local restaurant. 

It was simple and the atmosphere was warm. Kyungsoo loved it. They sat down in a corner and peered at the menu. " I come here a lot with Chanyeol hyung. The food is really good!" They talked about random things and how each other's weeks were going. " I'm probably going to fail my English exam."

" I doubt it, you seem pretty smart." Jongin beamed at the praise. Usually, Kyungsoo just said mean things to him so when he was nice, it was really heartwarming. " Thank you." Dinner passed by and they soon received the bill. Kyungsoo went to look at it but Jongin quickly grabbed it. " It's on me today." The gesture surprised the barista. He wasn't used to people paying for him for anything. " Are...Are you sure?"

" Of course." Afterwards, they found themselves buying popcorn at the theater. " So what kind of movie is this?" Kyungsoo asked while peering at the white pass they received. All it was the movie title and that it was rated r. " Horror." Jongin was worried when he basically saw the color leave the older boys face. " Do you...not like horror?" He asked, feeling horrible making Kyungsoo watch something he didn't want to. " I-Its okay...Horror doesn't bother me at all." 

" You sure?" Kyungsoo nodded as they made their way to the theater. They sat towards the back and Jongin felt bad whenever he looked over at Kyungsoo's face. His eyes were a little wider than usual and he seemed on edge. The movie started and it really interested Jongin. There were some jumpy parts but overall the two of them were okay. 

On the screen, a woman was walking down the hallway with smoke, blinking lights and bodies littered all over the floor. " Hello..?" She called and Kyungsoo did not like it at all. He gripped the armrest for dear life. Suddenly a demon appeared at the end of the hall and Kyungsoo gasped under his breath. Then it started screaming and charging after the woman and getting closer to the screen. Kyungsoo quickly turned and buried his face in Jongin's shoulder as he gripped the younger boy's sleeve. Jongin felt bad but couldn't help the giggle as Kyungsoo hid his face. "Its okay." 

When the movie ended, Kyungsoo didn't budge. Jongin kept poking the baristas arms, hands, and even his neck but he didn't move. " Soo Soo I'm sorry." He whispered and Kyungsoo finally turned to look up at him. " Its...Its okay." He whispered and Jongin smiled. " Lets go home." 

They made it to the doors of the theater with Kyungsoo acting normal. They went outside and Kyungsoo held onto the sleeve of Jongin's shirt for dear life. It wasn't until the two of them arrived back at Kyungsoo's house did Jongin feel genuinely bad. " I'll walk you inside." Kyungsoo glared, " I'm not five."

" I never said you were." Jongin replied simply while he turned off the car. He walked the frightened barista to his door and Kyungsoo let them both inside. Monggu happily greeted them both at the door. " Hi!" Jongin chirped while petting the small dog. " Well, it's late. I should be getting back." Jongin announced with a yawn. He went to go out the door but Kyungsoo grabbed the bottom of his shirt. Jongin turned and noticed how frightened his friend looked. " Soo?"

" You should stay the night..." He whispered quietly. Immediately understanding, Jongin shut the door. " I will."

Kyungsoo lent Jongin some sweats and a t-shirt before changing into some himself. The movie kept replaying in his head and he felt genuinely embarrassed for how he was acting. He was in his twenties but still afraid of a movie? Was it only the movie? Or did he just want the tattooed boy to stay with him? He sat on his bed and soon Jongin came walking inside with a solemn look in his usually bright eyes.

"Sorry hyung."  That took Kyungsoo by surprise. " Oh? You called me hyung." Jongin sat next to him on the bed. "Yeah, I did. It was weird and I'm never doing it again." Kyungsoo laughed as he punched the younger in the shoulder. "Why? I am your hyung." 

"Yeah but you're Soo." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at the dumb response. "But I am really sorry. I hope you aren't too frightened. Next time, we don't need to watch it." Jongin whispered while tracing a pattern onto Kyungsoo's knee. "I'm not scared."

"Okay Soo."

"Shut up."

Jongin got up and turned off the light. "Let's go to sleep you jerk." They settled into Kyungsoo's bed and Jongin kept talking, " No, but I am sorry. Next time you don't want to see or do something with me you can just tell me. It's okay." Kyungsoo turned to face his sad-eyed friend. The sincerity in his voice made Kyungsoo smile. " I told you, its okay. I wanted to go."

The younger boy looked like he was going to apologize again so Kyungsoo spoke instead, "It's okay I promise. Now lets sleep."

Jongin woke up later in the night to Kyungsoo shaking his shoulder. "Do you hear something?" He asked in a panicked whisper. The first thing Jongin thought was that wow, he really freaked Kyungsoo out with that movie. "Soo its okay...go back to sleep." He pleaded in a whisper as his eyes began to close again. 

However, his frightened hyung refused to let it go. "Let's check..." Kyungsoo whispered, continuing to shake the sleepy teenager. "Fine fine." After walking around the house, the rattling noise that the older boy had been hearing was the tree in front of his window scraping the front of the house. Snow whirled around as the winds moved the trees.

"It's just a blizzard Kyung. It's all fine." Kyungsoo scoffed, "I wasn't afraid or anything...I was just worried it may be an intruder or something." Jongin rolled his eyes. "Lets sleep then."

They returned to bed and every sound startled Kyungsoo. He didn't make a sound but his body would jerk a little bit each time. "Soo its okay.." Jongin whispered while turning to face his frightened hyung. Kyungsoo had his eyes jammed shut and was cuddled up under the blanket. Both sadness and affection filled the tattooed teen's chest.

Seeing how afraid the older boy was acting was something Jongin had never expected. It made him fall for the barista even more. He inched forward and wrapped an arm around Kyungsoo's small frame. "Soo Soo~" He teased and Kyungsoo huffed while moving closer to Jongin.

"Hey Soo." Kyungsoo hummed in response, "Thank you for coming with me today. I hope you had fun."

"I did. Thank you for bringing me." 

Jongin nuzzled his face into Kyungsoo's hair with a warm smile.

"I'll always bring you."

\--


End file.
